TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: In retrospect, while parents and the public are crying hoarse for increasing security in schools, following the sexual assault on a Vasco schoolgirl, one crucial point is missed out ~ the threat could lie with security guards themselves since they are often recruited by security agencies without following prescribed procedures and without checking their antecedents.
“Under the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005, the antecedents of all those employed as security guards have to be checked by the police. This is not being followed by the police,” a person who runs a private security company, stated while choosing to remain anonymous.
Not only is verification of antecedents not done, but other norms such as physical capability, minimum age of 18, etc are violated by security agencies while recruiting security personnel.
“If you’re thinking that posting of private security guards is the solution to this problem, then you’re wrong. The guys to whom you entrust your security may themselves end up being the culprits. And for students, when they see a guy in uniform, they trust him. But, they themselves maybe the criminals,” the security agency professional said.
While the official government committee reports are not yet out, the ideas doing the rounds are that of installing close circuit television cameras (CCTVs), increasing security and checking of people entering school campuses, increased guidelines for schools and student behaviour.
But most security is given out to private security agency. “The security guards are paid low salaries, sometimes work in two shifts, both during night and day and to cut costs and it allows their agency bosses to bid low and ultimately bag the security contracts,” the agency professional said.
Several schools, especially girl schools already hire the services of private security agencies to guard their gates and the movement of people. But problem is they themselves turn out to be culprits. The same could be said about police themselves, sources said.
